Zabuza Momochi
Zabuza Momochi, given the moniker Demon of the Hidden Mist, was a missing-nin from Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Background Physical Appearance Zabuza was a tall and noticeably muscular man with pale skin, short spiky black hair, brown eyes, and small eyebrows. He was normally seen wearing bandages like a mask over the bottom half of his face. Under his mask, he had a relatively narrow jawline and jagged-teeth, a trait he shared with his fellow Swordsmen. He wore his forehead protector sideways on his head, and prior to his defection from Kirigakure, donned the village's Anbu uniform and flak jacket. After his defection, and during his first appearance, he was seen shirtless, with his chest only covered by a belt to which he attached his Kubikiribōchō, wearing baggy pants with the striped pattern typical of Kirigakure and mimetic wrist-warmers extending up to his elbows, with matching leg-warmers. During his second appearance, he wore a sleeveless black shirt and matching pants, complete with a waist-guard, and yet again, Kirigakure's striped wrist and leg-warmers. Other swordsmen of his generation wore attire identical to this, implying that they might be clothes related to the group. While donning this attire, much like his fellow Swordsmen, he had bandages loosely tied around his neck like a scarf. Personality Zabuza was initially portrayed as aggressive, arrogant, cruel, cold and ambitious, willing to become Gato's thug to gain enough funds to start a second coup d'état on the Mizukage, and kill anyone who stood in his path, including plotting to kill Gato once he had received enough funds from him. His reputation for cruelty and ruthlessness began as a child where he killed every single candidate in the Kirigakure's Academy, earning him the moniker of "Demon of the Hidden Mist". He willingly uses his own men and others as pawns to fulfil his ambitions, as he raised Haku to be an efficient tool to be discarded when he had no use to exploit; although unlike future antagonists, he was blunt about the purpose that his recruits were needed for, lacking the manipulation of pretending to be benevolent to inspire loyalty. He is an observant adversary who is able to analyze his opponent's techniques after seeing it once, but becomes overconfident if he sees the technique as useless. In his last moments, it is revealed that he cared deeply for Haku, and after being convinced by Naruto Uzumaki, he sacrifices his life to kill Gato, and dies wishing he could join Haku in the afterlife. However, he seems reluctant to speak or hear about it, telling whoever does so to shut up. Kakashi has also noted that Zabuza had hesitated for a moment before the thought of slashing through Haku to get to Kakashi during their battle on the bridge; the lack of hesitation during the Fourth Shinobi War made Kakashi know that the controlled Zabuza was completely different. He has also shown a sense of honor, as seen after his reincarnation when he expressed disgust about the idea of working for anyone who would stoop down so low as to use the dead as their tools, in the meantime making the revived immortal. His sense of honor is extended even further when he pleads with Kakashi to stop him, and Haku from causing damage. Synopsis Abilities Kenjutsu Master: During his time as a Kiri-nin, Zabuza was one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, a group composed of the village's top swordsmen. The generation of swordsmen he belonged to was noted as the strongest ever produced within Kirigakure, a further testament to Zabuza's impressive skills. Zabuza's signature weapon was the Kubikiribōchō, an over-sized broad sword, whose shape was thought to decapitate enemies. This large weapon has the unique ability to absorb and utilise the iron from all the blood it sheds, from whoever it cuts, in order to reform itself if damaged or broken. Zabuza was a master in its use, being capable of dispatching numerous enemies with a few slashes, and claiming that his sword "never cut a second time", implying to have killed a large number of people with a single attack. The weapon's weight didn't seem to slow Zabuza down at all, as he could employ it in combat for extended periods of time with no visible strain on himself, something Suigetsu Hōzuki hasn't achieved. Apart from handling it very skilfully, Zabuza could also throw it spinning at several enemies with enough power to lodge itself into a hard tree trunk. Nature Transformation: Zabuza had great skill in Water Release techniques. He could perform several of them while keeping a separate one active, as seen when he kept Kakashi trapped in the Water Prison Technique while at the same time attacking the rest of Team 7 with a water clone. He could maintain several of these clones at the same time, often using them as diversions. He also showed proficiency in large-scale, highly destructive water-attacks from launching powerful torrents of water in the forms of dragon bullets and giant waterfalls at his opponents. Zabuza was especially adept at the Hiding in Mist Technique, as it made his Silent Killing even easier to perform. By blanketing the area in a thick mist, Zabuza could blind his targets, making it even more difficult for them to defend against him. In this manner, Zabuza was capable of carrying out stealthy attacks even in completely open spaces, able to suddenly disappear from an enemy's sight and then strike unseen. His skill with this technique was such that he could create an impenetrable mist without the need of an immediate source of water nearby. Even Kabuto Yakushi kept Zabuza's use of the technique in high regard, as seen when he was willing to sacrifice other reincarnated shinobi to protect Zabuza and keep the Hiding in Mist Technique going. Physical Prowess: Zabuza was a very physically strong and capable fighter. He could effortlessly wield the large Kubikiribōchō for long periods of time, even with one hand, as well as being fast enough to match Kakashi's speed. His strength and agility were further proven when he jumped high enough to dodge a hidden shuriken aimed at his neck while he held up Kakashi with one hand and while still carrying the Kubikiribōchō. Zabuza also demonstrated formidable taijutsu skill. While losing the use of his arms, Zabuza was able to fight off and kill dozens of Gatō's personally hired men simply with well-coordinated kicks and a kunai in his mouth. At the same time, he showed remarkable levels of stamina and endurance, able to continue fighting effectively despite the injuries he received from Kakashi and the large number of blades piercing him, killing Gatō and several of his thugs. Zabuza could also take a direct hit from a high level technique seemingly without major damage and still move relatively normally shortly afterwards. Master of Stealth and Assassination: Zabuza was also a master of stealth and assassination. He was most renowned throughout all countries for his high skill in killing opponents through zero visibility. Kakashi noted his Silent Killing prowess was second to none. This technique puts the victim under tremendous pressure before Zabuza even attacks, as it is noted that even the slightest movement of the eye was enough to alert Zabuza of his victim's location. Keen Intellect: While he preferred using direct attacks, Zabuza was also highly capable at misdirections. From his Anbu days, Zabuza possessed extensive knowledge of the human body's pressure points and most vulnerable organs. Zabuza was also knowledgeable in foreign techniques and kekkei genkai, having knowledge of the Sharingan and instantly recognising the Shadow Clone Technique. Zabuza was also a skilled teacher, as it was under his tutelage that Haku managed to become such a powerful shinobi despite his young age. Great Chakra Power: Equipment Kubikiribōchō: Relationships Background in Other Media Trivia * Quotes * Battles & Events Navigation Category:Characters Category:Male Category:Human Category:Missing-nin Category:Former Kirigakure Shinobi Category:Seven Ninja Swordsmen Category:Unified Axis Category:Deceased Category:Naruto Shippuden Characters Category:Tertiary Characters Category:S-Class Level Combatants Category:Antagonist